Chapter 50: Finished the formality, and now you're falling into my arms again?
"I surrender! I surrender!" Anko raised her hands, looking depressed.
"Seriously, what kind of freakish Genin are you? No wonder Hokage-sama made an exception to approve your participation in the Chunin Exams."
For an average Ninja, being able to use one or two C-rank Ninjutsu besides the Three Body Technique is enough to get promoted to Chunin.
But with Haruko, he knows more Ninjutsu than some Jonin, and he can even combine them into combos!
And that Ninjutsu activation speed—I knew it was fast, but only in actual combat did I realize just how fast.
It feels like... does he even need to weave hand signs? It feels like he just claps his hands and whatever he shouts appears.
It's just absurd, completely absurd.
"There are, Anko-sensei. Old Man Kosuke Maruboshi is also a Genin."
Haruko dispersed his Ninjutsu and helped Anko crawl out of the mud pit.
"You just have to argue with me, don't you!"
Anko raised her hand to hook Haruko's neck, tucked him under her arm, and gave him a rough noogie.
"We agreed on a sparring match, you didn't have to go so hard!"
"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't hold back." Haruko didn't resist, letting her vent. "Do you want me to help you wash your clothes?"
Anko looked down at her miserable state; her originally clean trench coat and skirt now looked like they had been fished out of a mud bog.
"Wash them! Wash them all clean for me!"
Ten minutes later.
Anko, wearing a change of clothes, sat by the campfire watching Haruko, who was using Water Release to wash her clothes, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
During this trip, the Third Hokage had entrusted her with quite a few tasks, one of which was to provide one-on-one guidance for Haruko's training.
"What kind of monster is this kid, anyway..."
From the first time they met, she knew Haruko was strong.
She had intended to test Haruko's true level before tailoring her teaching, but not only did she fail to find his limit, she also ended up in such a sorry state.
As a former team leader, it was already embarrassing enough to be rubbed into the ground by a student, and now she even had to have him help wash her clothes...
"All done." Haruko handed over the clean clothes. "They should be even cleaner than before."
Anko took the clothes, and they were indeed spotless.
"Th-thanks..."
She blushed and ducked into the Earth Release: Earth House to change, her already complex feelings now tinged with a bit of shame.
...
Late at night.
Although the makeshift Earth Release: Earth House was simple, it was better than a sleeping bag in the open, as it blocked the wind and rain.
Haruko had already laid out his sleeping bag on the makeshift stone bed, his breathing steady, evidently already in standby mode.
But Anko couldn't sleep.
She tossed and turned in the sleeping bag next to Haruko, like a fish suffering on an iron griddle.
Hot.
It wasn't the heat of the temperature, but a dry heat spreading from the back of her neck throughout her entire body.
The previous battle had activated the Chakra in her body to the extreme, and on top of that, Haruko, this "Natural Energy magnet," was lying right beside her.
The Cursed Seal of Heaven was acting up again.
"Damn it... Orochimaru..."
Anko bit her lip hard, her hands gripping the edge of the sleeping bag tightly until her knuckles turned white.
That familiar, excruciating pain, as if countless insects were gnawing on her nerves, struck again.
She didn't want to show weakness in front of a student, and even less did she want to admit that she had developed such a shameful sense of dependence on this kid.
Hold on... Anko Mitarashi, you are a Special Jonin, what is this little bit of pain...
"Hmm? Anko-sensei? Is this considered a night raid?"
When she came to her senses, Anko was already lying on top of Haruko, her arms wrapped around his waist.
But that wasn't enough.
Mere physical contact only brought temporary relief. The violent energy inside her was still raging.
"It's useless... why is it useless..." Anko was so anxious she was about to cry, writhing in Haruko's arms.
'What a huge pain."
But although she was a troublesome woman, she was, after all, suffering this because she was accompanying him.
Haruko sighed inwardly and released his body's control over Natural Energy.
Gentle energy surged from his body, enveloping the violent Cursed Seal energy inside Anko like a spring breeze bringing rain.
Anko's breathing gradually stabilized, and her previously tense muscles relaxed.
Reason regained the high ground.
Immediately after, she realized their current state.
She was wrapped around Haruko like an octopus, her face pressed against his chest, able to smell a pleasant scent and hear his thumping heartbeat.
Anko suddenly sprang away as if electrocuted, shrinking into the corner, putting on a fierce expression:
"You, you brat! Why can you suppress Orochimaru's Cursed Seal?! Old Man Third told me you were special, but he didn't say it was this kind of special!"
'The Third Elder knows? Did he figure it out when we met?... I see, so that's another reason he sent Anko. But it seems Anko doesn't know much."
Haruko didn't pay attention to Anko's blustering interrogation. He got up to stretch his stiff body, then lay back down.
"I don't know either. I just... when I relax, I can attract Natural Energy. Then, when we made contact and I thought about helping you, the Natural Energy just went and smoothed out the chaotic energy in your body on its own."
"As for the principle behind it, I don't know. Anyway, since there's no harm, I haven't looked into it."
She rubbed her temples, feeling that the shock she received today was a bit much.
"Your ability... is very special. Be careful not to let people with ulterior motives use it."
"I know. That's why I'm usually low-key." Haruko turned over, his back to her. "Alright, it's getting late, let's sleep."
Haruko knew his words would definitely be relayed to the Third Hokage by Anko; in fact, he said them intentionally for the Third Hokage to hear.
Since it had already been discovered, it was better to be proactive and confess, while also asking for some resources.
'Wait a minute... our mission is to find Jiraiya. Could it be that he also intends for Jiraiya to teach me?"
Anko looked at Haruko's back and gritted her teeth.
Although the Cursed Seal on the back of her neck had been calmed by Haruko, it was now faintly starting to produce a burning sensation again.
Wasn't that one of the reasons the Old Man, the Third Hokage, sent her?
Thinking of this, a mischievous smile curled on the corner of Anko's mouth, and she moved herself and her sleeping bag directly onto Haruko's stone bed.
"Enough talk!"
Anko climbed onto the bed with righteous indignation and hugged one of Haruko's arms.
"This is to prevent the Cursed Seal from going berserk again. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had an episode. You have to take responsibility."
She buried her face in Haruko's shoulder, closed her eyes, and started pretending to sleep.
Feeling the astonishing softness and warmth on his arm, along with the moist breath spraying against his ear, Haruko stared wide-eyed at the ceiling of the Earth Release: Earth House.
'This is really testing a cadre's willpower..."
"Hey, at least take your leg off."
"No, it's warmer this way."
"...We still have to travel tomorrow."
"Shut up, go to sleep! That's an order!"
Anko rubbed contentedly against this human-shaped custom body pillow and soon began to breathe evenly.
'Tomorrow I have to start training Anko to control the Cursed Seal. I also have to practice controlling the absorption of Natural Energy... Ah!! What a pain! Hiruzen Sarutobi, you naturally evil person, I'll remember you."
Haruko silently added a mark against the Third Hokage in his mind.
'Since the Third Hokage knows about my constitution, my importance in his heart will definitely increase accordingly. So was the previous move by the Anbu a gesture of goodwill? Then the safety of Dad and the others in Konoha should be somewhat guaranteed."
Listening to the slight snoring in his ear, Haruko glanced at Anko's—back of her neck.
'I remember there's a backdoor from Orochimaru on the Cursed Seal of Heaven; I have to find a way to deal with it. If I can't erase it, I at least have to be able to block it... In the worst case, if Orochimaru already knows at this moment, then I must be prepared to deal with it..."
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